ELORA – The lights in the Green Space in Elora will stay on a little longer after council agreed to amend the seasonal lighting agreement with Kat Florence Canada.
Council had approved a five-year agreement with the company last July wherein Kat Florence would pay for outdoor seasonal lights to be installed in the public space.
They were to be turned on after Remembrance Day and would be removed in February.
At the Jan. 27 council meeting, manager of parks Lucas Rogerson explained the company has requested an extension of the lighting agreement to coincide with the Village of Lights initiative.
Kat Florence Canada was requesting an extension to March 16, after which the lights would be removed from the trees.
The Village of Lights is an event that runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the winter.
It’s new this year and local businesses hope it will be a tourism draw during the usually slow winter months.
Lights on the trees in the Green Space are turned on at 6pm and go off at 8pm, Rogerson said.
He said the trees are dormant until April and will not be negatively impacted by extending the lighting season by a few weeks.
Other aspects of the Village of Lights include a free pop-up skating rink at the Badley restaurant patio, a pop-up market, food and drink booths and fire tables along the new pedestrian walkway, and a free family matinee at the Gorge Cinema at 3pm every Saturday and Sunday.
Councillor Barb Evoy asked if the township had consulted with people who live downtown about the lights.
“We haven’t proactively gone door to door,” Rogerson said, adding the township has also not received any complaints.
He suggested residents go to the “report it” tool on the township website if they do have concerns and those will be forwarded to the right people.
